Pretty Cool Outdoor Space Ideas

[Lyss]

We have our "backyard" (small lawn, patio, flowerbed) and the around the corner (divided by 10ft bushes) we have a huge field area where the DCKs play! Its so nice to have the space! Last year we set an obstacle course up and this year I want a mud kitchen!

DH is a park ranger and he's always bringing things (stumps, chunks of branches/trees, leaves/flowers, rocks, extra pelts) home so we have a pretty good natural area out back. In the summer we take the DCK to his park and he takes them on a hike.

I really like some of the ideas on the link! The music tree is a great idea! I wish we didn't have so many neighborhood cats or I'd totally try the sand pits.

[Crystal]

Our fence is being completed tomorrow. I am gutting the backyard and basically starting over. Elements that will be included are:

Sensory Garden (including sand and water and gardening)
Sound garden
Art studio
Rock pit for digging/etc
Weaving wall

and random "stuff"

So. I have $1200 to spend on stuff. This does not include the fence.....

What would you buy for outdoors, WITHOUT adding climbers, etc. with $1200? Please include links if you have them!

[Lyss]

Our fence is being completed tomorrow. I am gutting the backyard and basically starting over. Elements that will be included are:

Sensory Garden (including sand and water and gardening)
Sound garden
Art studio
Rock pit for digging/etc
Weaving wall

and random "stuff"

So. I have $1200 to spend on stuff. This does not include the fence.....

What would you buy for outdoors, WITHOUT adding climbers, etc. with $1200? Please include links if you have them!

These ideas are on my list:

Downspout/gutter/pvc tubes:
http://www.babble.com/kid/how-does-y...-grow/?pid=102 (I hope it shows the right photo, may have to click through on the bottom slideshow)

Sunflower (I'm thinking bamboo) house:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hartlandlibraryvt/7421604572/

banging post (my neighbors probably wont appreciate this!:

http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/2010/05/building-our-banging-post.html

[Luna]

I love the sunflower house and the interactive sculpture! They both look like something we could make in our yard. I'm not even going to look at the banging post, I might be tempted to make one.

[SilverSabre25]

Our fence is being completed tomorrow. I am gutting the backyard and basically starting over. Elements that will be included are:

Sensory Garden (including sand and water and gardening)
Sound garden
Art studio
Rock pit for digging/etc
Weaving wall

and random "stuff"

So. I have $1200 to spend on stuff. This does not include the fence.....

What would you buy for outdoors, WITHOUT adding climbers, etc. with $1200? Please include links if you have them!

Can you have a dome climber? I want one soooo bad.

I would buy a rain barrel (or two! or more!) with a spout for easy water access to add to the sand and dirt play.

I would make a nice hill with a slide embedded in one side.

Big logs/stumps for clambering and balancing

Mud kitchen...diy.

I would also put in an outdoor sink if you can, for cleaning up after all that digging and art

[Crystal]

These ideas are on my list:

Downspout/gutter/pvc tubes:
http://www.babble.com/kid/how-does-y...-grow/?pid=102 (I hope it shows the right photo, may have to click through on the bottom slideshow)

Sunflower (I'm thinking bamboo) house:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hartlandlibraryvt/7421604572/

banging post (my neighbors probably wont appreciate this!:
http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/20...ging-post.html

First link....I cannot see a slideshow

2nd link.....I was thinking of doing a "willow hut" that is similiar. My neighbor has a huge willow tree that drops branches every day so I could EASILY do that. I think I will try it!

3rd link.....yeah, my neighbors would kill me. BUT, I am doing several different sizes of windchimes on low shephards hooks for them to bang on!

[Crystal]

Can you have a dome climber? I want one soooo bad. Unfortunately, I haven't enough space for one

I would buy a rain barrel (or two! or more!) with a spout for easy water access to add to the sand and dirt play. This is something I have been considering. One of my professor's has one of those old school hand pumped water pumps she is giving me so I could easily hook that up to a rain barrel so the kids can pump their own water

I would make a nice hill with a slide embedded in one side. I will look into this

Big logs/stumps for clambering and balancing I have a BUNCH of these already. Just plan to move them around

Mud kitchen...diy. considering. my only concern is it would be tracked inside

I would also put in an outdoor sink if you can, for cleaning up after all that digging and art My SIL is selling me a brand new outdoor sink for $80! Definitley want that for clean up so we aren't having to go in and out!

Thank you!!!

[AmyKidsCo]

I LOVE letthechildrenplay.net! My struggle is providing a cool outdoor learning environment for the children without losing my "back yard" - kwim?

[Crystal]

I LOVE letthechildrenplay.net! My struggle is providing a cool outdoor learning environment for the children without losing my "back yard" - kwim?

haha! I gave up my backyard to the daycare YEARS ago. There isn't one adult related item back there! ::

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

How fun! My backyard is TINY, unfortunately, which is why we go to the parks when it isn't over 95 degrees out.

[Crystal]

So....we are starting!!!

I just ordered these picnic tables for the kids:

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/Sun-Smarties-Kids-Picnic-Table-Benches-with-Umbrella/_/R-538921?cmSource=Search

[Crystal]

We have an open space in the cneter of our yard that is just dirt.....years of abuse from kids and dogs and nothing will grow there now. I want to turn it into a huge sand pit. I have always used sand tables but would like to give the kids more opportunity for digging, adding water and building, etc.

If you have a sand box, what are the pros and cons? If you had a choice would you do a big sand pit or sand tables?

TIA!

[Crystal]

Also.....Gazebo or several Market umbrellas? I have a large deck that I'd like a gazebo on, but I was thinking I could get more creative with umbrellas. My only concern is that I'd like the gazebo for when it rains. Does anybody use the market umbrellas and if so, are you able to be out in the rain with them as protection for the kids?

[AmyKidsCo]

some parts of the world get far less rain so I guess we need to adapt for our climate.Would I put it up daily no... I would leave it until it looked bad then wash or toss.

That's the challenge - to adapt these cool ideas to our own climates. I'm slowly working on our yard too, but I know it'll be a multi-year project due to time and money constraints.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

My problem with a larger sand box, when the boys were little I had an 8'x8', was keeping it covered and the cats out.